


War Horse

by AriadnesThread



Category: Mulan (1998)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-26
Updated: 2011-12-26
Packaged: 2017-10-28 04:24:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/303703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AriadnesThread/pseuds/AriadnesThread
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It was always kind of weird to me that Mulan's horse was the only one they took with them. This is my take on why. I hope this fulfils the horse friendship fic you asked for and has enough groundwork for a Shang/Mulan relationship. I know it's not fluffy or anything but what I adore about the romance element in Mulan is it's built on mutual respect, not love on first sight like a lot of the Disney princesses.</p></blockquote>





	War Horse

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hollow_echos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hollow_echos/gifts).



Ping has been doing well recently. Since he climbed the pole he’s been shooting like he was born to it, one of the first to finish in every run, performing drills with a flourish. He’s still a little clumsy and his shoulders are slender as a girl’s but he’s a quick learner and he never complains. Ping has never complained, Shang realises. The other men grumble when he rides them hard, making them do the same drill over and over again in the rain and fading light until it’s perfect. Ping watches him with an intent expression he can’t place, always watching, always concentrating, always doing it again and again until he’s perfect.

And now he’s stealing. It’s only a few apples but an army is nothing without discipline. Discipline and supplies, his father’s voice echoes in his head. With these things an army can do anything.

The apples aren’t for Ping. He slips between the tents into the pasture where they keep the horses, Shang following like a shadow. Ping might think he’s learnt a lot but Shang hasn’t even begun teaching them. Besides, it’s good for the men to be in awe of their commander, or especially one so young. He watches as Ping finds his horse and feeds it first one apple and then the other on flat, open palms. His hands are small, Shang notes. Better for a clerk than a soldier. And yet here he is, whispering into the horse’s neck as though he’s saying goodbye to a friend or sweetheart.

Better to get it over with. The Chinese Army looks poorly on theft of any sort.

‘Ping,’ he says, stepping into view. ‘It’s past curfew.’

‘Yes sir!’ Ping jumps, spins round, turns, salutes; all in the time it would take most men to blink. ‘Sorry, sir. I was... I was.’

‘You were visiting your horse,’ Shang says flatly. He’s not in the mood for Ping’s posturing.

‘Khan,’ Ping supplies.

‘Soldier?’

Ping flushes. ‘His name, sir. I thought you were asking-’

He looks so wretched that Shang looks away. He’s a good man if not a good soldier and getting better. In any case he’s too good to lose over a few apples. Of course the horse is too good to be a military nag. But Shang likes Ping better.

‘You did well to feed him, Ping,’ Shang says carefully. ‘He’ll need his strength if he’s to come with us. You will, of course, be responsible for his upkeep. I will inform the quartermaster tomorrow. However if I ever find you breaking curfew or taking supplies without my permission again you will be on half rations for a month and running laps until your feet bleed. Is that clear?’

‘Yes, sir!’ Ping salutes with his whole body.

‘At ease, soldier,’ Shang orders. ‘And don’t let me see you on the way back.’

As he leaves he pretends not to see Ping bury his face in the horse’s neck. The recruit isn’t a man yet, not by a long way. But he will be. The war will see to that. Let him bring the horse.

**Author's Note:**

> It was always kind of weird to me that Mulan's horse was the only one they took with them. This is my take on why. I hope this fulfils the horse friendship fic you asked for and has enough groundwork for a Shang/Mulan relationship. I know it's not fluffy or anything but what I adore about the romance element in Mulan is it's built on mutual respect, not love on first sight like a lot of the Disney princesses.


End file.
